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Rassie Erasmus explains picking Salmaan Moerat as Springboks captain

Springboks forward Salmaan Moerat (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The selection of Salmaan Moerat as captain of the South African team to tackle Australia in round two of The Rugby Championship in Perth on Saturday has raised a few eyebrows – at least outside the Springboks set-up. It will be the second time that the 26-year-old will lead his country having also captained them against Portugal in a one-off Test in Bloemfontein last month.

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The 10 changes from last weekend’s 33-7 demolition of the Wallabies in Brisbane will see Morne van den Berg (scrum-half) and Ruan Nortje (lock) earn their first Test starts in the green and gold.

However, Moerat’s appointment as captain in the place of regular skipper Siya Kolisi – who is being rested – is one of the main points of contention. Erasmus made it clear last week’s big win and with another four rounds remaining after this week, it allowed him to give the other members of the 33-man tour squad a run.

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Wallaby assistant coach Geoff Parling on the innovations coming out of the Bok camp

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      Wallaby assistant coach Geoff Parling on the innovations coming out of the Bok camp

      The Wallabies will need to adapt more quickly to the Springboks’ trickery if they want to stay in the fight in Perth.

      “Everybody here is good enough to, hopefully, get a second win against Australia,” the two-time Rugby World Cup-winning coach said.

      “It is not like the series against Ireland, where it was a do-or-die match. There are still 14 World Cup winners in the matchday 23. Hopefully the young guys will learn from the senior players and bring some exuberance and excitement.”

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      Switching to the question of captaincy, with a renowned leader like Pieter-Steph du Toit and seasoned flyer Cheslin Kolbe in the starting XV, Moerat’s appointment is perhaps not such a big risk as most pundits would have you believe.

      “We have certain players that take responsibility in specific positions for us,” Erasmus explained. “Players are growing into things [situations and positions].”

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      He used full-back Aphelele Fassi, with just five caps, as an example of a player who could be an established senior mentoring young player in four years. “Giving Salmaan the captaincy against a tier one nation will just help him grow as a player.

      “The same way we gave Pieter-Steph du Toit two (captaincy) caps, he now understands how to support a captain. He will help Salmaan, just like Eben (Etzebeth) and Bongi (Mbonambi) help Siya. It is not just who is the captain on the day; it is part of the growth of the player.”

      Moerat, who captained Western Province and the Stormers, also skippered his country at age-group level – SA schools and Junior Boks. “It is for him to also grow,” continued Erasmus, adding: “Some guys are getting older and some players must help them to manage their workload. The senior players must help the younger team members and show them how to lead.”

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      Comments

      1 Comment
      H
      Hellhound 234 days ago

      I think the Boks is still strong enough to defeat this Wallabies squad. They are a young team. Still new to each other with no cohesion. They need time to play together and build. To find that cohesion. There is no overnight fix and wholesale changes would only be detrimental. The Boks can do those changes, because they have had these fringe players for awhile, slowly giving them experience so much so that doesn't matter who comes in, it's a like for like change who is almost as good as the other player. Not many can do that. I mean, not bad to have Mapimpi, Am and others as fringe players isn't it. World class players on the fringes as backups is a seriously healthy place for SA rugby to be in

      b
      by 234 days ago

      Brave call. But in the ‘senior’ side it seems that Pollard, Etsebeth, Vermeulen we’re the decision makers.

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      Comments on RugbyPass

      I
      IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
      Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

      “Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

      Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


      “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

      Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

      So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


      “I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

      I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

      Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


      “I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

      So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


      “lol u really need to chill out”

      Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

      171 Go to comments
      f
      fl 5 hours ago
      Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

      “Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

      Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


      “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

      Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


      To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


      I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


      I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


      I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


      “Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

      lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

      171 Go to comments
      I
      IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
      Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

      Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


      His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


      How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


      Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


      His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


      Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


      Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


      Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

      171 Go to comments
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